News from the Industry

CarwashTV.com posts first episode
CarwashTV.com, a new industry video magazine, released its first episode earlier this month.

The inaugural episode includes eight different videos of an average length of about three minutes.

“We had a lot of fun making these videos and I think they’re both informative and entertaining,” said Kyle Doyle, founder of carwashTV.com. “We learned a lot and I look forward to the content continuing to evolve as we travel around the country capturing our industry on video.”

One video highlights experiences from three carwash veterans and their outlook on the future, while another is a comedy sketch featuring a carwash owner that takes quality to the extreme.

In another segment, Eric Wulf, executive director of the International Carwash Association, comments on Car Care World Expo 2010 and what the Association is doing to help operators in a difficult economy.

Terrible Herbst opens 38th carwash
Terrible Herbst celebrated the grand opening of its newest carwash and lube on May 22 in Las Vegas. Terrible’s is among the 50 largest conveyor carwash operators in the United States.

The event included several special deals for customers, including special pricing from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and an on-site radio broadcast.

The company also gave away a chance to win a Dodgers baseball package worth $500, the release said, and Sunday Slacker Magazine organized a classic car show on site.

The addition of the newest Las Vegas site brings the company’s total number of carwashes to 38, although not all sites are conveyor locations. Terrible’s also has 22 quick lube facilities and 108 convenience store/gas stations in the Las Vegas area.

ICA organizes trip to Automechanika
The International Carwash Association™ is set to tour German carwashes and attend Automechanika 2010, to be held Sept. 14-19 in Frankfurt, Germany, and interested members can join the group for about $2,500.

Travel begins in Frankfurt and ends in Munich and will include a tour of Mr. Wash Car Wash, the Washtec factory and a visit to Oktoberfest.

Members who are interested in joining the tour can contact Megan Clark, mclark@carwash.org.

NASCAR-themed washes to race into the U.S.
If all goes according to plan, then average car drivers will soon be able to make pit stops at NASCAR-themed carwashes across the nation.

The racing league has signed an exclusive agreement with 1903 Car Wash Co. and plans to open 40 locations by 2015. If the companies succeed, they will be among the largest conveyor carwash chains in the country.

“NASCAR has had considerable success in branding properties in different market categories,” explained Blake Davidson, NASCAR’s managing director of licensed products. “With millions of fans passionate about car care, we are excited about this concept.”

The two companies are still creating a prototype location and business concept, but it is believed to be an express exterior wash. NASCAR drivers might be on hand, as well as race cars, for the openings of the first locations.

Davidson said, “We’re working on what is a NASCAR carwash and creating identity for the concept. We have to identify locations and rollout strategy. A big chunk of time spent on making sure the brand itself is captured the right way and really integrated in concept.”

AFL-CIO keeps the pressure on CA washes
The AFL-CIO and the CLEAN carwash campaign are continuing to push the unionization of carwash workers in California by enlisting the support of students and alumni from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), as well as throwing their weight behind a resolution that would require the L.A. school district to use only washes that have signed the CLEAN Carwash Agreement.

Students, alumni and UCLA labor programs marched on May 1 in support of carwash workers, and UCLA senior Byron Lopez, a former intern with CLEAN, said, “The campaign’s ultimate goal is to install an industry-wide union.”

Meanwhile, the AFL-CIO is asking local voters to support a resolution that proposes the L.A. Unified School District only do business with carwashes that have signed the CLEAN Carwash Agreement.

The CLEAN Agreement represents a pledge by the carwash operator to abide by minimum employment, health and safety, and environmental standards and to “respect workers’ right to organize a union free from intimidation or harassment.”